Tempting Isabel by Rissa Brahm Blog Tour

We are taking part in yet another blog tour! This time the tour is for Tempting Isabel by Rissa Brahm. Instead of giving you a look in to the book or a review, we decided to give Rissa a grilling about her new novel and give you a little Q&A session! We asked about Rissa’s writing experiences, along with all kinds of questions about the book and characters! Here’s our interview!

1) ‘Tempting Isabel’ is the first book in your ‘Paradise South’ series, what’s it about?Tempting Isabel is a hot and heartfelt roller coaster ride set in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, where cursed wedding planner Isabel Ruiz and charmed millionaire Zack James go head-to-head with each other and with fate.

2) Can you give us an insight in to the main character?Both the hero and heroine pretty much share the spotlight in Tempting Isabel. Zack and Isabel are quite opposite in all the right ways. She’s superstitious, small-town, the youngest of twelve from humble beginnings and a total introvert. Zack’s an ultra-cynical self-made millionaire, a globe-trotting playboy, and had become his kid brother’s guardian before he could vote. At the same time, they’re stubbornly similar. Both are ever-ambitious and hard working, intelligent and independent, and both have obstacles to conquer before they can reach individual fulfillment then their HEA together.

3) Who is your favourite character to write that isn’t Isabel?
My favorite character to write was Lucinda Carlyle, Isabel’s boss. Lucinda, the owner of the premier wedding and event planning outfit on the Pacific coast of Mexico, is a hard-ass Canadian cougar/expat who plays a pivotal part in Isabel and Zack’s journey. Strong, sassy, and cynical, Lucinda gave me the chance to shock and awe a bit. So fun.

4) Do you base your characters on people in particular, or are they completely from your imagination?
Each and every one of my characters is a total mash up: imagination mixed with my life’s run-ins.

5) What would you say draws people to your novels?My covers…they are extremely representative of the sensual and story-centric romances I write. In the glorious sea of the short-and-steamy trend, I think readers are excited to find a soul-deep and sensual excursion.

6) What interests you about contemporary romance writing?
Because I don’t need to world-build in contemporary romance, I can wholly focus on my favorite thing; drawing then putting my crazy-conflicted characters through hell, then back on course to their very earned happily ever after.

7) Why did you choose to write a multi-cultural romance?
Writers often write what they know. I have a delicious decade-and-a-half of a marriage with an unbelievable human being, and it so happens that we are of different ethnicities and belief systems. So, in my real life and in my stories, the struggles (and wins) of a multi-cultural relationship are that much more triumphant to me.

8) What do you think is the secret to writing a ‘gripping’ novel?
For me, the growth and ‘give’ of the characters are the priority ingredients to creating a gripping read.

9) Do you have any advice for budding writers?
From the movie ‘What About Bob,’ Bill Murray repeats, “Baby steps to the elevator.” Do that. Keep moving forward, but baby step it—there’s loads to learn and do, and you don’t want to burn out before draft two, three, ten…or twenty!

10) Tell our readers why they should pick up ‘Tempting Isabel’!
To get a uniquely deep, sensual, and story-centric romance ride with a truly earned HEA, you should pick up Tempting Isabel…and it’s a far less expensive travel-to-paradise option 😉